Tenants trashed the carpet and I paid someone to remove it, then later installed new carpet. Is the carpet removal an expense?

[emmel650]

I had tenants that trashed the carpet in the rental property and it was so gross and smelled so bad that I hired someone to tear out the carpet and pad while we were cleaning up the rest of the mess that the tenants left.  A month or two later, I got new carpet installed.  I know the new carpet is an improvement that should be depreciated, but can the carpet removal be considered a cleaning expense?  I'm not sure since normally removing the old carpet is considered part of the job of installing new carpeting, even though there is a separate charge for it.

[KarenJ · Accepted solution]

Yes, I would agree that the carpet removal would be a cleaning expense.